Our new Bavaria 37 cruiser will take on the familiar ‘Speedbird’ name and has incorporated many of the familiar features of a Bavaria. But there are also many changes giving a more spacious feel in the saloon and improvements in many smaller features.

These are Tony Houghton’s comments after he had been for a test sail on a new Bavaria 37:-

"The yacht has had a major redesign, the saloon is wider, and higher and has two extra glass deck windows making the interior very light and less claustrophobic. The galley area and chart table configuration have all been changed allowing for more working surfaces and easier access. In fact when going below for the first time the impression is that it is far bigger boat than the old 36. Saloon eye level storage locker doors now drop down rather than lift up! Cabin layouts are the same and locker storage arrangements have been improved with extra shelving. The heads are slightly more spacious and better fitted.

 The cockpit is wider and has a fold away table and there is a very neat coaming which smartly covers up the spray hood when it is down. There is a new binnacle layout, but otherwise the controls are pretty much the same as on the 36. The gas kicker has been upgraded which allows the boom to be automatically lifted clear of the cockpit when released. The only negative is that I think the cockpit lockers are not quite so large, they are still able to take a life-raft and warps etc. but I think subjectively we would have to be a bit neater stowing our gear.

 We went for a two hour demo sail involving manoeuvring under power and sailing at all points (wind 18 knots). The engine is quieter (new EC regulations) and there is no noticeable prop warp. In fact as much as we tried we could not get the stern to kick when full reverse power was applied. We were sailing with one reef in - boat was well set up and sailing to windward was no better or worse than the 36. As with the 36 it was easy to sail."